Journal of Commerce Logo
Journal of Commerce Logo
Free TrialSubscribe
Home
supply chain

Supply chain

The Journal of Commerce’s supply chain news and analysis impacting the management of end-to-end supply chains reports on supply chain strategies, cargo visibility, inventory trends, sourcing, customs certification and contract logistics. Supply chain news coverage also delves into refrigerated shipping advancements and management of inventory status, regulatory updates and government funding projects. 

Subsections

The latest Supply chain News & Analysis

Irregular hours, rate instability weigh on small fleet truck drivers: SmartHop

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor |
More than 40 percent of drivers at small truckload carriers surveyed by technology provider SmartHop have entered the industry over the past two years, but many are considering moving to larger carriers for stability.
TruckloadLogistics Technology News

More disruption to follow China’s lockdowns: S&P Global

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor |
Disruption from COVID lockdowns in China may worsen once those restrictions are lifted and a fresh wave of containers heads for US ports, S&P Global economist Patrick Newport warned Tuesday.
Supply chain

ZEBOX establishes US presence with DC-area office

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor |
A new office near Washington, DC, is intended to help the CMA CGM–backed startup accelerator ZEBOX attract technology that can help its corporate partners in North America advance their digital logistics initiatives.
Logistics Technology News

China lockdowns will impact peak production: K+N CEO

Greg Knowler, Senior Europe Editor |
Kuehne + Nagel reported solid-first quarter results, but its outlook for the rest of the year remains muddied with no end to COVID-19 controls in China, deteriorating global supply chains, and consumer demand uncertainty.
Logistics Technology News

Hapag-Lloyd to equip dry box fleet with sensors in 2023

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor |
Hapag-Lloyd is betting customers will eventually demand that all its containers be trackable by sensors, leading it to commit to equipping its fleet of 3 million dry boxes starting next year.
Logistics Technology NewsContainer lines

Hapag-Lloyd hit with $882,220 US civil penalty over detention charges

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor |
The ruling against Hapag-Lloyd could well be a bellwether for future actions against shipping lines relating to what shippers and drayage providers consider unfair assessment of demurrage and detention fees.
Transport, Trade, and Regulation NewsContainer linesMaritime

ShipHero offers Canadian route for low-value shipments

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor |
Importers wanting to avoid duties on low-value shipments can use Canada as a waypoint through a new program between North American fulfillment provider ShipHero and a Canadian customs broker.
Logistics Technology News

Government-backed data efforts muddy shipping standardization race

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor |
Confusion over the intent of a number of public sector supply chain data initiatives to emerge in recent months might cloud the progress any of them might make individually.
Logistics Technology NewsNorth American ports

New funding pushes Convoy valuation to $3.8 billion

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor |
Venture capital investors have plunged $410 million into Convoy, as one of the more notable digitally native freight brokers seeks to expand its reach to small truckload carriers and large shippers.
Logistics Technology NewsTruck brokersTrucking News

Procurement automation already influencing freight-buying cycles

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor |
Procurement automation is already changing the nature of how shippers buy capacity from carriers and intermediaries, an evolution that will accelerate in the years ahead as humans adapt to the technology.
Logistics Technology NewsMaritime

Carriers using digital tools to broaden shipper reach: Freightos

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor |
New research from Freightos finds ocean carriers improved their electronic tools over the past three years and want to move rate and booking activity through their own online channels.
Logistics Technology NewsContainer linesAir Cargo

Hasbro speeding inventory buildup, imports on disruption threat

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor |
Toymaker Hasbro is one of many shippers shifting imports to the first half of the year to avoid potential supply chain disruption and stockouts this summer and fall.
Supply chain

Empties vs. exports highlights precarious balancing act for US supply chain

Dustin Braden, Shipper Engagement Manager |
The matter of empty containers highlights the dizzying complexity of the modern supply chain, wherein gains for drayage truckers and marine terminals can be interpreted as a loss for exporters.
Container linesTransport, Trade, and Regulation News

FMC members seek per diem relief over Expeditors cyber-attack

Michael Angell, Associate Editor |
Two members of the Federal Maritime Commission say ocean carriers need to tread lightly when assessing per diem container fees that are related to the cyber-attack on forwarder Expeditors.
Transport, Trade, and Regulation News

FMC urged to align per diem policy with IANA rules

Michael Angell, Associate Editor |
The Intermodal Association of North America said that it has an effective dispute resolution process for per diem container bills that could be disrupted if new federal rules are adopted.
Transport, Trade, and Regulation News

Lineage Logistics acquires Canada’s VersaCold

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor |
Lineage’s latest acquisition expands the global food chain logistics company’s reach across Canada.
Logistics Technology News

Tive turns demand for sensor-based tracking into cash infusion

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor |
Shipment tracking device maker Tive has landed a $54 million cash infusion to build its global footprint and target more categories of shippers with location and condition monitoring solutions.
Logistics Technology News

CMA CGM takes over formerly Russian-held Gefco

Greg Knowler, Senior Europe Editor |
CMA CGM has made another major acquisition, bringing Europe’s main automotive logistics service provider under the wing of CEVA Logistics.
Logistics Technology News

Magaya arms forwarders with automated LTL pricing tool

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor |
Forwarding software provider Magaya is wading into the less-than-truckload technology market with an automated pricing tool meant to help its customers quote faster to shippers.
Logistics Technology NewsLTL

Truckload pricing tool partners with procurement vendors

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor |
Fresh off a seed funding round in February, truckload pricing intelligence provider Greenscreens.ai has built connectivity with procurement technology partners FreightFriend and 3Gtms.
Logistics Technology NewsTrucking NewsTruck brokers

Commodity, semiconductor crunch threatens reefer capacity 

Gregory W. Tuthill, chief commercial officer, SeaCube Containers |
The strong likelihood of continued growth in the reefer trade creates questions about supply meeting demand given recent world events and the potential upstream production dependencies linked to raw material sourcing.
Cool Cargo News

ONE turns to Google to accelerate customer service innovation

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor |
ONE is using Google Cloud to further its ability to automate back office and customer-facing solutions, a sign that the cloud infrastructure giant sees container shipping as a key vertical to target.
Logistics Technology NewsContainer lines

Freight marketplace Emerge chases ambitious growth

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor |
Freight marketplace Emerge has designs on reshaping the truckload procurement space in North America, with an ambitious target of $20 billion in freight spend through its platform this year.
Logistics Technology NewsTruck brokersTrucking News

JOC Rankings: Elevated rates, disruption drove record forwarder revenues in 2021

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor |
Third-party logistics providers (3PLs) took advantage of 2021’s roaring rate environment to expand their net revenue, with rapid growth among the largest forwarders further compounded by merger and acquisition activity.
Supply chain

Procurement software vendor rides market upheaval to new investment

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor |
Shippers are bidding for freight more frequently due to supply volatility, driving growth in European procurement startup Shipsta that has led to a new funding round from investors.
Logistics Technology News

Easing container, truck rates bring cold comfort to US shippers

Mark Szakonyi, Executive Editor |
Spot pricing highs for the eastbound trans-Pacific and truckload rates may be over, but so-called normalization is not around the corner.
Supply chain

New project44 product highlights port congestion data

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor |
project44 is aiming to provide non-traditional customers, like small shippers, consultants, and financial institutions with a high-level port congestion dashboard.
Logistics Technology News

Subramaniam to lead FedEx into post-Smith era

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor |
Greater network efficiency and profits will be priorities for new FedEx leadership as e-commerce reshapes global markets.
Logistics Technology News

Rising volume, worsening congestion dries up European storage

Greg Knowler, Senior Europe Editor |
Import volume from China has been increasing since late last year, and combined with the severely disrupted supply chains is leading to a deteriorating cargo storage situation across Europe.
Supply chain

Shippers resume complaints to FMC over unfulfilled contract space

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor |
New complaints to the US Federal Maritime Commission over the alleged failure of carriers to move volumes committed in ocean freight contracts suggests shipper frustration with capacity availability and rates remains high.
Transport, Trade, and Regulation NewsContainer lines

BlueX tackles freight cost burden with ‘pay-it-later’ tool

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor |
BlueX Trade is providing an extended credit product to small shippers and forwarders to help them manage working capital in the wake of historic ocean freight and ancillary fee costs.
Logistics Technology News

FMC probing major liners, ‘pop-up’ carriers on US export service

Michael Angell, Associate Editor |
The Federal Maritime Commission is adding the availability of export capacity to its ongoing scrutiny of how ocean carriers are operating in the US.
Transport, Trade, and Regulation News

US shippers bracing for fuel cost hikes amid oil market volatility

William B. Cassidy, Ari Ashe, and Greg Knowler |
Already elevated fuel prices are increasing across freight transport modes in the wake of oil market volatility related to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, shifting shippers' focus back to costs after two years in which speed of delivery has been paramount.
Supply chain

Logistics tech vet secures funding for trade finance startup

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor |
Exporters struggle to get access to trade finance tools due to technology and regulatory limitations, a gap that startup provider Fishtail is aiming to fill with a new $4.5 million venture investment.
Logistics Technology News

Air cargo vets get funding for freight consolidation startup

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor |
Aircon, a technology provider aiming to bring a software-based co-loader approach to the air freight industry, has been backed by early-stage investors to drive planned aggregation of air cargo.
Logistics Technology NewsAir Cargo

US lawmakers take aim at ocean carriers with shipping reform push

Mark Szakonyi, Executive Editor |
Democratic senators took the opportunity of a recent committee meeting to drill FMC Chairman Daniel Maffei on sky-high freight rates charged by ocean carriers amid declining service levels.
Transport, Trade, and Regulation NewsContainer lines

K+N taps startup to improve container import efficiency

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor |
German startup Flowfox is working with Kuehne + Nagel to pilot its platform that automates import clearance and container re-use at European ports with an eye toward global expansion of the solution.
Logistics Technology NewsContainer lines

Flexport, project44 executives among investors in new freight pay venture

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor |
Payment technology options continue to grow for freight intermediaries, with Los Angeles-based Freightpay the latest to get funding to build its early-stage payment platform.
Logistics Technology News

White House taps supply chain stakeholders to build national data portal

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor |
The need to share data among supply chain participants has become a priority amid record volumes of US imports that have resulted in vessel backlogs, terminal congestion, and a stressed inland logistics sector.
Logistics Technology NewsContainer linesNorth American ports

Forwarding tech provider out to unify disconnected system landscape

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor |
Prompt, which works with many of the top 25 global forwarders to automate integrations and data entry, is breaking out of its stealth nature of operating with an expansion of systems into which it connects.
Logistics Technology News